Beer, French History, ABBA

It's Friday and I'm headed out for drinks with friends, so you get the quick and dirty version tonight. Hey - get your head out of the gutter; this is a family friendly blog!

Quick and dirty here means right to the beer, and tonight that means Biere d'Hougomont from Ommegang. I had this one during the Super Bowl, and in the glass it poured a hazy, dark amber color with a lingering thin, white head. The aroma gave you notes of sweet malt, fruit, and baked bread. When you take a sip, you get a ton of candi sugar, along with plenty of oaky dryness. You can find some hops in there, but this isn't a very hop heavy beer. Maybe more malty than I typically expect from a biere de garde, but still a very solid offering from a fantastic brewery.

Can I have a hug(omont)?

This beer is a limited release from Ommegang's historical collection, so if you see it, grab a bottle.

Thing to Think About Today:
You may be wondering about the name of this beer, and I can help. The Hougoumont farmstead was where the Battle of Waterloo took place; you know, the one where Napolean ran into the British in 1815 and didn't quite fare too well. While Waterloo spelled the end of Napolean's reign, it did influence the ABBA song Waterloo, which is about a girl who surrenders to romance. Anyone want to dress up with me as ABBA for Halloween next year? Give me a shout.....